Lineage
by blahosaurus
Summary: Naruto didn’t know what his blood was made of, who his parents were, but one thing he was sure of was that he is named after something, and that’s good enough. Little!Naruto. One-shot.


_Naruto didn't know what his blood was made of, who his parents were, but one thing he was sure of was that he is named after something, and that's good enough. Little!Naruto _

**Lineage**

Naruto was _hungry_. The woman who had been assigned as Naruto's carer and who was supposed to provide him with either food or money had forgotten to drop by again. The Hokage had repeatedly told him to report such cases but Naruto had always hated tattling, and that's what it felt like. So he went a few days without food? So what, people said that ninjas could go weeks without proper food. This was nothing, really.

His stomach rumbled.

Man but it sure sucked. He patted his stomach, right where his tattoo lay, hollow and needy. Sighing, he raised his head and grinned at a few passers-by who with cold eyes turned away. The 6-year-old Naruto scrunched his face up, sticking his tongue out at the retreating backs. He had never known what the problem of the village was but one thing Naruto was sure of was that one day things would change for the better.

His stomach rumbled again. Maybe he _should_ tell the Hokage that it was two days since he had eaten and that his carer had become more neglecting lately since it had been made clear that Naruto wasn't going to do anything about it. But that was where she was wrong. Little Naruto had a few aces up his orange sleeve. Namely a can of spray paint, some small billboards and a few funny phrases in his head. And when he said funny, he meant _rude._

Naruto sighed again, watching the people pass by. All the families in their little bubbles; space for nobody but them. Adults holding hands or even fighting, in their world. Children with parents and dango sticks. _Hell_, Naruto though, _I_ _would settle for just the dango stick._

He stuck his hand inside his jumper and pulled out his mainly unused frog-shaped purse. He had a hazy memory of a red-haired woman giving it to him years ago and had become unusually attached to it ever since. He opened it up in optimism and found it empty as always. He scowled, dodging a large man jerkily as he continued walking as if Naruto didn't exist. The little boy stuck his tongue at him as well, walking forward with his head a little lower.

He peeked inside his wallet again. Nothing, nothing, noth...wait. He reached inside where the lining had ripped. His smile dazzled as he grinned. Yes! A rupey, hiding between the green. _Score_, Naruto thought, so happy he couldn't help but smile at more _mean strangers_ whose looks barely affected him.

He paused in his walk, deftly ducking another seemingly blind person and looked for a cheap place to eat. Some stand or other that didn't look fancy, he decided. His eyes skipped a tea house and settled on a bar-attended place half-hidden by a banner which said 'Icharaku'. Naruto approached it quickly but carefully, not even having to duck under the cloth because of his stature. He scrambled unto a seat and sat in silence, clutching his frog. Maybe the owner would kick him out when he saw him. But that was ok. He clutched his frog harder. It was ok.

"Hey, kid, you gonna order something?" a deep voice said. Naruto looked up at once, putting his whisker-like scars on display, but the big man with friendly small eyes in a blue apron said nothing more.

"Erm, yes I- I only have one rupey!" he nearly shouted in his enthusiasm. The man seemed slightly taken aback but his eye wrinkled in a wide smile.

"What's your name?" The man asked. Now it was Naruto's turn to be surprised. It was unusual, for some reason, for adults not to know his name. But maybe that this man didn't- or was pretending not to- was a good thing.

"Uzumaki Naruto!" he declared, grinning so that his scars stretched whilst he pointed his thumb at himself. The man stared, looking startled, at him for a second and Naruto's heart beat a little faster in fear. The owner _had_ heard of him. He had heard of him and would scream and threaten and take out a broom and hit Naruto over the head and steal his money and purse and clothes and-

"How about a bowl of ramen then?" The owner asked and without waiting for a response told a young girl that had been cooking behind him what to do. Naruto unfurled out of the protective position he had unconsciously put himself in and smiled. He didn't know what ramen was but if it was food, it was good enough for him.

"Thanks old man!" He laughed. The day was turning out better than ever expected.

He watched curiously as the man and what Naruto suspected was his daughter prepared the plate for him, being the only costumer. Chipped bowls clinked, knives thunked and the delicious smell of miso soup reached his nose, making him lean forward in anticipation as his stomach rumble violently. The stall owner looked up, his gentle eyes wrinkled in amusement.

"Just a little longer, kid," he smiled and surely, a few minutes later the largest bowl Naruto had ever seen, bigger than his small head, was set before him, overflowing with noodles and vegetables and meat. Naruto sat, staring at the food in awe. It was _beautiful_.

"Wow, thanks old man, I haven't eaten in days," Naruto said casually in his oblivious nature for, surely, it was normal for people to go a few days without food now and then. "Itadakimasu!" he called out in his childish voice and forced the chopsticks apart, digging in at once.

"What did he mean, he hasn't eaten for days? He's like...5?" the girl who had accompanied in the preparations of the food asked her father quietly, who in return simply looked down sadly and patted her daughter on the head.

"Thris irs Great!" Naruto tried to enunciate around a mouthful of food. In retaliation the stall owner grabbed a pair of chopsticks and bopped Naruto on the head, much as a parent would have done.

"Don't talk with your mouth full!" he instructed, though the kindness in his face did no vanish. Naruto rubbed his head sullenly.

"Shrowry," he slurred, spitting a piece of noodle in the process. The owner sighed as the girl giggled.

"I have a special present for my only customer as well," the owner said suddenly and before Naruto could do more than look up he had set something in his plate. Naruto glanced down curiously, big blue eyes wide. A present?

What his eyes met when he looked down was a small white shape in form of a many-edged star with a pinkish swirl in the middle of it, much like the one in the Konoha signature, or the curse on Naruto's stomach.

"What...what is it?" Naruto asked, holding it up with his chopsticks and smelling it. It seemed to be some kind of fish thing.

"It's a fishcake. But you know what's special about it?"

"What?" Naruto questioned, scrutinizing the edible form.

"That it's called naruto."

The boy blinked. This small fishcake, spiky and swirly like him, was what he was named after? A thing you devour, a thing you enjoy. Naruto stared and slowly a grin grew on his lightly scared face.

"Wow! Then ramen must be the coolest food _ever_!" he decided with fervour and proceeding to guzzle the food down, relishing in the salty tastes, in the filling quantity.

The owner laughed and said nothing of the sloppy manners, watching the small boy realise a little bit of where he came from, of what his parents were like. Naruto's mind was in similar tracks as he thought;

_If my name is Naruto, that must mean my parents loved ramen right? And they named me after something they loved, so they must have loved me. _

_My parents loved me. _

He 'aahed' contently as finished of the food, sporting a round, full belly from its consumptions. E sat back slightly and slowly raised his chopsticks to grab at the fishcake and bring it to his mouth, chewing it with what could be called a more normal pace. He patted his stomach in pleasure and beamed at the cooks.

"Thanks old man! Next time I have some money I'll come here!" he decided, hopping down from the seat. The owner looked at him, worried, though the expression didn't register with Naruto.

"If you don't have food one day, be sure to come here and I'll prepare you something," he offered. Naruto looked at him, surprised, but smiled widely.

"Alright! Free ramen every day!" He shouted, walking out. The owner blanched.

"Hey I didn't say that- oi Naruto!"

But the boy was already running away happily, laughing, leaving mutters and whispers about his attitude behind. But it didn't matter. He was named after something; his parents had put thought and _meaning_ to his name. And even though he didn't know who they were or if he ever would, this was enough for him. Knowing that once, they had been a family, and Naruto hadn't been alone.

**OoOOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

**A/N**

Thank you Leta Deadly Crimson and I dont own the Naruto world.

Feedback, please.


End file.
